Pressure
Word From Wiese
June 17, 2026
What’s the water pressure at your house?
Two weeks ago at our home, I had a plumber install a new PRV, a “pressure reducing valve.” Living in Peachtree City, we apparently have a reputation for higher-than-average water pressure. When he tested our home’s pressure, it measured 112 PSI. It should have been somewhere in the 60s. That doesn’t sound good, right?!
Thankfully, our home has copper pipes. Had we been using PVC, the risk of damage would have been even greater. Excessive pressure may not seem like a problem at first. In fact, high pressure can make everything appear to work better. Who doesn’t love strong pressure when taking a shower? But over time, my plumber explained, too much pressure wears things down. It stresses joints, weakens connections, and eventually causes leaks…and repairs far more costly than what I paid for the PRV part.
The same is true of our bodies. Doctors remind us that high blood pressure places strain on our arteries, veins, and heart. What seems manageable for a season can become harmful if left unchecked.
And what is true physically is often true spiritually.
Many of us are carrying pressures that were never meant to remain at 112 PSI. Family concerns. Financial worries. Health challenges. Work demands. Uncertainty about the future. We may keep functioning, but the strain slowly takes its toll.
Jesus understood the pressures of life and repeatedly invited people to place their burdens in God’s hands. Today, I remind you of Jesus’ advice: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). In the midst of life’s anxieties, Jesus taught: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life… Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25, 27). Near the end of his earthly ministry, knowing the fears the disciples would face, Jesus offered this promise: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” (John 14:1)
The Bible’s answer to pressure is not denial. But maybe the use of a PRV (Pressure Reducing Verse) and faith practice or two. The apostle Peter wrote: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Notice the reason: because He cares for you.
Our Muslim neighbors pause five times a day for prayer. Their practice raises a good question for all of us: How do we relieve spiritual pressure throughout the day?
How do you begin your morning?
How do you end your evening? Do you take time to pray? Do you meditate on Scripture? Do you sit quietly in God’s presence? Do you repeat a promise from Jesus when worry begins to rise? What trusted friends do you talk to in order to gain perspective on challenges?
A pressure reducing valve protects a home’s plumbing from damage. Prayer, scripture, worship, silence, and conversation with trusted friends serve as God’s pressure reducing valves for the soul. They remind us that we were never intended to carry life’s burdens alone.
Reflection Question:
Today, take a moment to check your spiritual pressure gauge. What are you carrying? What worries have begun to build? What burden needs to be handed over to Christ? Jesus is still inviting weary people to come to him. And he still gives rest.
In Christ’s hope,
P Fritz
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, life often fills us with pressures that feel beyond our ability to manage. But you give us options to reduce them. Teach us to bring our burdens to you instead of carrying them alone. Help us begin and end each day connecting to your presence. Remind us that you are with us, you care for us, and you are able to carry what we cannot. Grant us your peace so we can face the duties and delights you give us in healthy ways. Amen.
